May 2025 Mayor Message
Published on 28 May 2025
As Mayor of Berrigan Shire, I want to share with you the steps Council is taking to ensure our community remains strong, liveable, and financially sustainable—now and into the future.
For over 20 years, Berrigan Shire has maintained a healthy financial position. Unlike many other councils, we haven’t needed to ask for extra rate increases during that time. That’s something we’re proud of.
However, things are changing. The cost of delivering services has gone up a lot, and our savings can’t keep covering the extra expenses. While we expect to break even this financial year, our forecasts show that without making changes now, we won’t be able to keep doing so in the years ahead. The time has therefore come for us to take a close look at our finances.
Our draft 2025/26 Operational Plan and Budget reflects a clear and responsible path forward and is now available for public feedback. They show clearly that we no longer have any financial “buffer” in our reserves.
To move forward responsibly, we’re focusing on four key areas:
- Reviewing the services we offer
- Improving how we work
- Realigning our organisation
- Exploring new ways to raise money
We’re also thinking long-term. Our 10-year Financial Plan outlines the challenges we face and the options we have to deal with them.
We’re not alone in this. Many councils across NSW—including some of our neighbours—are facing similar issues. Recently, the NSW Government announced new initiatives to help councils stay financially viable, including pushing for more federal funding. We’ll be watching these developments closely to make sure Berrigan Shire can benefit from any opportunities.
There’s also good news. We’ve secured grants for important projects like:
- the Murray Street upgrades in Finley,
- putting powerlines underground on Chanter Street in Berrigan and
- modernising our libraries
These projects do require some funding from Council, and we’ve included that in our draft budget for the coming year.
Our Water and Sewer funds remain financially healthy, and we’re continuing to invest in infrastructure that supports future growth.
We understand these are complex and sometimes worrying issues, and we want you to know—we’re here with you every step of the way.
Your voice truly matters.
As we take a closer look at the services Council provides and explore how we can fund them in the future, we’ll be asking for your input. We want to know what’s most important to you, so we can make decisions that reflect the values and needs of our community.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can make sure Berrigan Shire continues to be a great place to live—now and for future generations.
Join a Community Consultation Session
Want to learn more or ask questions in person? Come along to one of our friendly drop-in sessions:
- Monday 2 June – Finley Library, 4:30 PM
- Thursday 5 June – Berrigan Library, 4:00 PM
- Wednesday 11 June – Tocumwal Library, 4:30 PM
- Tuesday 17 June – Barooga Library, 4:30 PM